Hip hop pioneer and member of UTFO Kangol KidĀ passed Friday after a battle with Stage 4 colon cancer. He was 55.Ā
WBLSĀ reports that Kangol, real name Shaun Fequiere, fought the disease since his diagnosis in February. He immediately started chemotherapy, but his condition deteriorated, and he had recently undergone surgery.Ā
New York City PromoterĀ Van SilkĀ confirmed his death toĀ HipHopDXĀ on Saturday.Ā
āIām hearing Kangol passed,ā he told the outlet in a text. āI was on with Mix Master Ice last night. Trying to find out. RIP KANGOL KID. He passed at 3:02 a.m. My prayers go out to my brother who fought a battle of colon cancer at Stage 4.ā
Silk is also battling colon cancer, diagnosed with Stage 2. He is encouraging people to get their prostate and colon checked.Ā
Kangol rose to notoriety with the group UTFO. In 1984, their single āRoxanne, Roxanneā topped the hip-hop charts. The track sparked the āRoxanne Wars,ā and a series of āanswer songsā was released. Most notably by 14-year-old Roxanne Shante, who dropped āRoxanneās Revenge.ā
In 1987, they released their albumĀ Lethal,Ā which was the number one selling hip hop album in the United States.
He also wrote and composed forĀ Ā Lisa Lisa & Cult JamāsĀ debut albumĀ Lisa Lisa & Cult JamĀ with Full Force in 1985. The album spawned hits like āCan You Feel the Beatā and āAll Cried Out.ā
Tributes began pouring in on social media.
KANGOL PASSED AWAY AT 3:02 THIS MORNING Thankyou for Your Thoughtfulness.
P.A. š āš½ #KangolKid pic.twitter.com/3Rk1wj0579— Full Force (@fullforceworld) December 18, 2021
https://twitter.com/CrazyLegsBX/status/1472259324881866752?s=20
Rest In Peace to the legendary KANGOL KID of the iconic Brooklyn group U.T.F.O (Untouchable Force Organization). #HipHop#RipEducatedRapper pic.twitter.com/6Uxtqgmhht
— R.A. the Rugged Man (@RAtheRuggedMan) December 18, 2021
Salute The Kangol Kid Forever. #PoPDuKe
— Freddie Foxxx (@BumpyKnuckles) December 18, 2021